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Oct 17, 2011

Mana: a discussion

John Moore has done some great work analysing the Mana
Movement. His latest post at Liberation is a must read. This from the post
itself:

Guest
bloggerJohn Mooreargues that the selection
of Kereama Pene represents the marginalisation of the left within the Mana
Party. For although the party appears radical on paper, in reality a number of
Mana’s leaders aim to cut deals and form alliances with parties that would have
little interest in Mana’s ‘socialist’ policies. Therefore, the selection of
Karema Pene sends a signal that Mana is both ideologically flexible and that
the party’s socialists are being kept on a tight leach. All of this amounts to
the attempt by a section of Mana’s leadership to present the party as
respectable and non-threatening. So, is the game up for Mana’s left?

What
needs to be understood is that the left in Mana is a minority, albeit an
influential minority. The party’s rank and file, or the flaxroot if you will,
consists almost exclusively of ex-Maori Party members and young Maori with a
tino rangatiratanga bent. There is a scattering of socialists and political
newbies (mainly Maori). The left do not have the strength of numbers at the
base of the party to exercise any influence on decisions like candidate
selection, policy remits etc.

As
Matt McCarten takes a step back Gerard Hehir is taking a step forward. Gerard’s
presence and prominence in the party ensures that the left punch above their
weight in the party. Hone has a great deal of respect for Gerard and the work
he does for Mana.

The
marriage between Hone and Matt, read Maori nationalism and socialism, is one of
convenience. Mana Movement satisfies both men’s ambitions. Matt serves to
extend Hone’s electoral base while Hone provides the genesis for Matt’s dream
of building a working class movement. However, both men share a similar
political outlook. Hone is the product of a Maori nationalist upbringing, but
he is intuitively left-wing (as are most Maori nationalists). Matt is the
product of an underclass upbringing, but he maintains an intuitive Maori
nationalist streak.

Hone
knows that he will not build the movement he dreams of without extending his
base beyond hardcore Maori nationalists. Therefore, he will not allow the left
to be marginalised. I think the decision was made not to veto Pene’s selection
because Hone, and his advisers like Hehir and McCarten, felt that it did not pose a serious threat to the role of the left in the party.

An
examination of Mana’s policy reveals a leftist bent. As I’ve said before the
party’s policy platform is almost devoid of any tino rangatiratanga type
policy.

I
can almost guarantee that Hone will not enter a coalition government in the
medium term. I say this because Hone has told me as much. Of course,
circumstances change and so do a person’s intentions, but at this stage Hone
appears unlikely to even consider lending support on a coalition or confidence
and supply basis to any government. Mana is aiming in the short term to renter
Parliament with, hopefully, two extra MPs - Annette Sykes and John Minto (and if
things go better than expected Sue Bradford). In the medium term the party
hopes to build a sustainable movement. Building a sustainable movement includes
extending the party membership and implementing a succession plan. As an aside
Maori politics specialist Veronica Tawhai is leading the party’s succession
plan. In the long term the party will, inevitably, enter government. Forcing
change from the streets is a nice concept, but a far fetched one in my opinion
and Hone and co. know this. There are so many variables and the opposition
(capitalism) is so overwhelming. Furthermore, Mana does not have the
intellectual grunt at the moment to put forward a viable alternative to the
current system.

Mana
has a long way to go yet. The contradictions, nuances and ultimate direction of
the party are yet to be settled. This is the nature of a new movement. In the
mean time we can analyse and predict where the party is and will head, but,
ultimately, we just don’t know enough yet.

1 comment:

I think at this stage Kereama Pene should be given the benefit of the doubt. And I don't think it was contrived at all. It just appears he was the only one present on the day after Willie Jackson withdrew and let us all down. I guess noone else was game enough to be 'the next best candidate'. But then again, you could be right.

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